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Sigma DP2 Review: Inspiring Image Quality

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Posted by Patrick on Sep 3, 2009 in Cameras, Featured Content, Reviews

Sigma DP2 Review: Inspiring Image Quality

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When Sigma announced the DP2, I’ll admit, I was immediately curious. I’d been quite interested in the DP1, and simply fascinated by the image samples that I’d seen, so with the announcement of the DP2 I was even more excited, hoping that some of the DP1’s “issues” had been worked out, and quite liking the idea of the 41mm (35mm equivalent) lens with an aperture now at f/2.8 (a stop faster than the DP1). Thankfully, Sigma was kind enough to send us a review sample, and when it arrived I was determined to use it frequently, analyze it fairly, and hopefully shed some light on this frequently misunderstood camera. To find out what we thought, read on in our review of the Sigma DP2.

Big sensor, little body

Who’s It For

First things first. We try our best to do our camera reviews in the context of the assumed market. For instance, it seems silly to say that the Olympus E-620 doesn’t compare to the Nikon D700, when of course– they don’t compare. Obviously you compare the Olympus E-620 to other entry level cameras. In the DP2’s case, frequently it appears that reviewers seem to hold it to a “point and shoot” standard, confusing I suppose, camera size with intended market. This is unfair though, as it distorts the likely use of the DP2 and its likely user. It seems obvious to us, but for clarity, the Sigma DP2 isn’t a point and shoot type camera, and doesn’t perform like one. It doesn’t have a “smart auto” mode, it doesn’t have face detection, it doesn’t have a fireworks scene mode, it doesn’t zoom, and it doesn’t even have image stabilization. The DP2 is also not a replacement for your DSLR. There are no interchangeable lenses, no viewfinder (well, you can get an external viewfinder), and no 51 point AF system. If you have a point and shoot, keep it. If you have a DSLR, keep it too.

Instead, what the DP2 offers is DSLR-like image quality, in compact form, via a Foveon sensor and wonderfully sharp, but fixed length length lens. As such, it is well suited for the serious photographer, or at least the photographer who is very serious about image quality. The DP2 can take painfully sharp photos with amazing depth of field that make for wonderful prints, but they also have some unique qualities to them. In other words, if you’re just interested in taking snapshots, the DP2 won’t work for you, but if you’re keen on truly getting really impressive image quality in a compact sized camera, then you’ll want to strongly consider the Sigma DP2. I’ve mentioned it before, but the easiest thing to do would simply be to visit Sigma’s DP2 website, consider the imagery and subject matter types, and see if it squares with your likely usage. If what you see there suits you, the DP2 might be for you.

Where To Get One

The Sigma DP2 is available and in stock at Amazon and B&H Photo.

Highlights

Sigma DP2

20.7 x 13.8 mm Foveon X3 Direct Image Sensor (CMOS) with 14.06 megapixels (effective) (2652 x 1768 x 3 layers)
24.2mm f/2.8-f/14 (35mm equivalent focal length: 41mm) lens
12 bit RAW (X3F) files
Excellent overall image quality
Exposure compensation +/- 3EV in 1/3EV steps
Included Sigma Photo Pro software makes for simple and effective image editing

Disappointing

View of the LCD

2.5-inch TFT Color LCD with 230,000 dots doesn’t do justice to image capture’s color or resolution
AF system is slow and performs poorly in low light
Average battery life

What’s In The Box

BP-31 Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery

BC-31 Battery Charger

USB Cable

A/V Cable

LCP-11 Lens Cap

NS-11 Neck Strap

CS-70 Soft Case

Sigma PhotoPro Software CD-ROM

Instruction Manual

In The Hands

Fully loaded with viewfinder and hood

Build quality in general is very good with the DP2. I quite like the simple overall look of the Sigma DP2, dressed only in an understated black metal case with a smattering of dimples on the front and back that function as grip areas. One immediate issue arises with the DP2 lens cap which doesn’t really attach in a satisfactory way to the lens, nor is it secured to the camera in any way. DSLR owners will be used to keeping it in a pocket, but its size and strange attachment method make it seem likely that it will eventually be lost. The buttons on the back are small, but “snappy” enough to be satisfactory in use. Longer term, the only issue with build I had was the rubber covering of the USB port, where if a cable was left in for a long time, the port covering would be too “bent” to stay closed. Eventually it would “remember” its position, but a better solution would be preferred for a $600 plus camera. Overall though, build quality seems more than adequate, and aesthetically it’s a fine looking camera, just perhaps seeming not entirely high tech.

In Use

Sigma DP2

This is where quite a bit of contention arises with the DP2, at least in many of the reviews I’ve read about it. Not to make any excuses, but it is important to reiterate that the DP2 isn’t a point and shoot camera, so comparing it to the Canon G10 or Nikon P6000 seems unfair. In fact, I’ve frankly been quite bewildered with some reviews of the DP2 and their often irrelevant comparisons, one strangely comparing it to a Canon EOS 5D Mark II. With that said, there are 2 distinct issues with the Sigma DP2 that have to be addressed regardless of what you compare it to. The first issue revolves around the AF. A half-way press on the shutter presents the user with a strange “errrr”-ing sound followed, eventually, by a beep to confirm that focus has been acquired. Audible issues aside, getting to that confirmation takes a little over a second to achieve. Every time. It isn’t that it struggles to find focus, more that it simply seems to mechanically take that long for focusing to happen. This process works reliably in normal lighting conditions, but becomes less reliable in lower light. To be fair, reliability has improved with each firmware update (we were using version 1.02), but still taking photographs in a dark room with the DP2 is challenging. Alleviating this somewhat is a rather good manual focus mode which comes in quite handy in these darker conditions, however this leads us to the next issue with the DP2, that being it’s sub-standard LCD display. For such an expensive camera, and a camera with this level of image quality, the 2.5 inch 230K display simply isn’t adequate. Worse, this particular display seems worse than the stats indicate, it lacks saturation and contrast, and worse still, is absent the resolution needed to really judge focus and image capture. So, in practice you end up using the display for composition only, which is a shame, since you’ll quickly develop a high sense of anticipation to see your captures in all their glory, and it’d be nice to get a better sense of that in the field.

So as you can see, you have 2 givens going into the DP2, one an AF system that greatly hampers catching dynamic subjects, and the second a display that fails to do justice to the images captured. Of course, the DP2 wouldn’t be a likely choice for dynamic subject matters. It isn’t for the race track, or moving objects. I can say that other taking a second or so to focus, the AF is very reliable, and you grow to realize that when the Sigma DP2 acquires focus, it really has acquired focus, the images are tack sharp. If you’re a street, walk around, still object, garden, or landscape photographer the AF works quite well. The LCD is less easy to forgive, but the DP2 does provide a live histogram overlay and I recommend using it and trusting it for bringing home accurate results. Elsewhere the camera will work just fine for an experienced photographer. The DP2 offers program, aperture priority, shutter speed priority, and manual modes–nothing fancy, and no hand holding. The menu system is a bit dated looking, but easy to understand and configure. One thing I liked was the quick set button, which when pressed offers easy adjustments of flash, metering, white balance, and ISO settings (with a toggle to additional settings).

Sigma DP2

Just to clarify the user experience, in general the Sigma DP2 is quite skilled at bringing home really nice captures. I don’t want to give the impression that it’s significantly harder to use the DP2 than “other cameras” because in the end it won’t be any harder to use for experienced photographers. If you’re a beginner, this isn’t the camera for you, and if you rely on “AUTO” forget the DP2 entirely. If, however you prefer manual controls, you’ll be more than fine with the DP2, flaws and all. Again it seems obvious to us, but a camera with a fixed length lens attached to it with an aperture of f/2.8 pretty much signals it’s intended for the creative type photographer, one used to, even craving some level of “challenge” (at minimum, zooming with one’s feet). For these photographers, it will be easy to overcome any challenges presented by the AF or the LCD and to fully utilize the DP2 as the creative tool that it is.

As a case study I can only present myself. I was lucky enough, and Sigma was nice enough to give me extended access to the DP2, and it never left my side for the entire time. This culminated in a week long vacation in the Cape where I used the DP2 extensively, along side a Canon EOS 5D Mark II. 75% of the shots I took were with the DP2 with an effort to even use it for snapshsot duties. Used as my main camera, the DP2 performed quite well, with good and great results. I’ll admit that perhaps the keeper rate from the DP2 is bit lower than a G10, but the keepers are worth it, rivaling the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, in appeal.

Image Quality

As we’ve intimated, the image quality provided by the Sigma DP2 is excellent. The combination of lens and sensor provides a high level of detail, ample dynamic range, nice bokeh, and brilliant colors. The DP2 provides a unique look, a look that I’ve struggled to put into words. Yes, there is an element of “3-D” to the DP2 images, an effect that stems in part from incredible edge detail with shallow depths of field. Detail is presented in amazing fashion with single hairs easily rendered, fabric details fully visible, etc. For the most part images look pretty clean though you will seem some film like noise in backgrounds or shadows. There are flaws too, color accuracy is a bit off, there can be some vignetting with a green cast, and white balance is tricky to adjust sometimes, but whatever flaws there were with the DP2’s image quality on a technical level, I found them to be generally advantageous to the overall look of the DP2’s image. Basically you just go with it, and enjoy the results.

One thing to mention, the include software, Sigma Photo Pro, goes along way to enhancing the DP2 look. Clearly tailor made for editing the DP2’s images, Sigma Photo Pro has a transformative effect on the DP2’s X3F RAW files that is not equaled by either Adobe Lightroom 2 or Adobe Camera RAW. The Sigma DP2 images also look better when viewed in Photo Pro, which is quite strange. If you do end up getting the DP2, you’ll likely want to at least start your workflow with Sigma Photo Pro, before finishing edits, if need be, in another program. While there’s nothing wrong at all with the files as is, images from the DP2 are an excellent platform for post processing.

ISO performance is good, but not earth shattering. Up to and including ISO 400, things are totally fine. At ISO 800 image saturation begins to fade, but remains well within the range of usability. At ISO 1600 saturation has really been effected, and by ISO 3200, things are not looking good. Still, as the main issue at higher ISO is lack of color accuracy, ISO 1600 and 3200 are excellent candidates for very nice black and white conversions.

We’ve included some sample ISO shots below, while after the review’s conclusion we’ve added a number of unedited DP2 images for examination. You’ll note that because the DP2 is so skilled at picking out areas of detail, that you quickly adapt to that working method, finding something with detail and isolating it with a fast aperture. Even at f/2.8, the DP2 has no problem rendering lots of detail. For all images, clicking the image provides a larger view, while the original size link will bring you to the full size file. The ISO shots below have only been cropped, no sharpening or noise reduction in post. Shot at f/8 at the DP2’s fixed length of 41mm.

ISO 100

ISO 200

ISO 400

ISO 800

ISO 1600

ISO 3200

Conclusion

For me the Sigma DP2’s main attribute, its brilliant image quality, vastly outweighs whatever flaws the DP2 may be inflicted with mechanically. In a perfect world, the DP2 would have a snappier AF system, and a large 3 inch, 920k resolution LCD, and I really hope that we see something along those lines in any future “DP3″. As it is, the DP2 does make good on Sigma’s promise of DSLR-like image quality in a compact form factor, and I must say this element of the DP2 is very appealling. While the DP2 is hampered somewhat by a couple of real tangible problems, it does at minimum make up for them with incredible photographs. I can honestly say the DP2 can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary (another Sigma claim), and I feel confident that its results would provide plenty of inspiration for the more experienced and ideally more creative photographer. This is not a camera for beginners, for the photographer who prefers more dynamic subjects, or for those on a tight budget. If however, you are a photographer who places a premium on image quality and prefers full creative control over his or her camera, all in a tidy compact form, I highly recommend the Sigma DP2.

Build Quality: 8/10
Features: 7/10
Functionality: 7/10
Image Quality: 9.5/10
Overall Value: 8/10

The Sigma DP2 is available and in stock at Amazon and B&H Photo.